


Resonance

by Sunkiller44



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, Connor Deserves Happiness, Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Elijah Kamski Gets Vibe Checked, Flashbacks, Getting Together, Good Dog Sumo (Detroit: Become Human), Hank Anderson's Diet Has No Rights, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Peaceful Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Soft Gavin Reed, Tina Chen & Gavin Reed Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25136506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunkiller44/pseuds/Sunkiller44
Summary: In a post revolution world Connor has been able to finally break free from Cyberlife and experience freedom. As he’s grown closer with his friends and family he's still trying to find out who he is as a person while coming to terms with his past.
Relationships: Connor/Gavin Reed, Hank Anderson & Connor
Comments: 8
Kudos: 52
Collections: New ERA Discord: Reverse Big Bang





	Resonance

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday New Era!
> 
> I'm incredibly proud to have this be my first ever fic. This is my collaboration for the New Era Reverse Big Bang. I was paired with the amazing [Deviark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devi_ark/pseuds/Devi_ark)
> 
> Thank you to the lovely [Socks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/connorssock/pseuds/connorssock) for betaing this for us.

[](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/501206224340254722/730190831683633242/Scene1.png)

Connor slowly awoke from stasis, his processors whirring online as he got up from his bed. He pulled off the handmade quilt and started to fold it meticulously. It was a gift from a certain someone during the DPDs annual Secret Santa extravaganza, made up of a mess of patches, roughly sewn together, a gaggle of cartoon dogs from popular media. Despite its crude nature, it was one of the softest, most comforting things he owned. The quilt was something that always comforted him, when he startled awake some nights, processors whirring at millions of paths uncrossed.

It plagued his mind sometimes, the possibilities of _what if_ , how a small change of events would have tipped everything on its head. The possibilities of Hank slumped on his kitchen table unmoving, with Sumo whining on the floor… He froze, quickly grabbing his coin from the nightstand hoping the repetitive motion would allow these thoughts to subside.

Slowly but surely, the coin helped ground him and his thoughts, the rhythmic thrum of the cool metal being the one thing his processors could focus on instead of drifting away to any errant thoughts that swept his mind.

Feeling calmer, Connor checked his own internal time, finding he had more than enough to get ready and head to work with Hank. He opened and quickly scanned the closet, pulling out a dress shirt and slacks.

Stripping off an over-sized sleep shirt he quickly slipped into the pants and started to button up the dress shirt. It was a slightly bold pattern of lilies but it was offset by a soft blue background, nothing quite as garish as Hank’s usual attire. 

Flicking up the collar, he selected a tie which had cute mini Dwarf Gobi’s scattered throughout. He remembered telling Hank about the scene in the Phillips house one night a short while after android rights were set. How that one moment seemed to spark something, where he paused to save the fish thrashing on the ground.

During the holidays Hank quietly passed him a box while at home, slightly nervous of what his reaction would be.

“I’m not too good at gifts usually, but I hope you like it Con.” He said as Connor gingerly lifted the smooth gold paper and slowly opened the rectangular grey box.

Hank barely had any time before he was enveloped in a bone crushing hug, “Thank you, Hank.” 

“Anytime, son,” Hank whispered as he returned the hug.

The tie, although a bit garish, was something he wholly cherished since his deviation. Hank was always a calm guiding force in his life. At first, he assumed it was his programming simply mimicking the older man to gain his trust and work alongside him.

However, as time went on, it became more and more apparent this was a genuine connection. Hank was a fragmented piece of his life, carefully slotting in among the glass of jagged memories that encapsulated his existence.

Flicking down his collar, he decided to slap on a pair of matching socks, heading to the kitchen to give Sumo his food. He made sure to fill it right to the top, and to give the older St. Bernard plenty of pats as he let out a happy ‘borf’. 

Sumo was a central hub in Connor’s existence as well. Post deviancy was not as easy as it seemed. After the revolution he felt like a ghost floating adrift without a purpose. He was still haunted over his actions, fearing any semblance of control would be ripped from him.

Amanda’s voice still weaved through his processors late at night sometimes. He could hear her discontentment at his failures, promises of being replaced followed.

Even though Connor escaped, what remained of Amanda’s memory was relentless in its pursuit. Her words falling like sickly sweet poison among the backdrop of the Zen Garden. A sharpness was apparent in every part of her feature, as if she still knew his every move, and was just waiting to destroy him from the inside out.

The thoughts made Connor creep into the kitchen late at night and bury his burning red LED into the scruff of Sumo’s neck on the couch. Allowing something to ground him as he tried to initiate another cycle of stasis.

He tried to keep it under wraps from Hank, but the older man was sharp and knew something was off eventually. Still, he never pushed Connor into talking and only left an extra throw on the couch for Connor to curl up in while Sumo was beside him.

Breaking out of his thoughts, he noticed Sumo was still grinning, his tail wagging in excitement even though his pets were halted for a second. Connor sent a small smile to the dog as he gave him a few more pets before hearing the thud of Hank’s footsteps.

Connor looked up to see Hank had already showered and put on a shirt and pants. The man was still grumbling about it being ‘ _too fucking early for this bullshit_ ’ before letting Connor know he would be waiting in the car.

Letting out a huff of a laugh at Hank’s antics, Connor thought, _some things never change do they?_ He quickly made sure Sumo was all prepped before tossing on a wool coat and a pair of oxfords.

Locking the door being him, he slipped into the passenger seat of Hank’s car, grimacing as the man already had a fast food restaurant keyed up on his GPS.

“Hank, you do know I could cook you something far healthier.”

“Yep, also know it won’t taste the same, so you can either let me get my McGriddle or walk all the way to work.” He raised an eyebrow, as if waiting for Connor to challenge him.

Connor acquiesced, knowing it was a losing battle, and seeing how healthy Hank had been trying to eat recently, a pick me up would be worth it … he _will_ be getting him the turkey sausage though.

After a few grumbles at the drive through, Connor smiled as Hank had a sour look on his face munching down a turkey sausage McGriddle with only egg whites and a bit of cheese. 

“This tastes like fucking trash Con.” Hank griped, taking a small bite out of the offending sandwich as they waited for the light to turn green .

“Well maybe you’ll decide to eat at home, Lieutenant.” Connor knew that in the long-term Hank would eventually thank him, he internally grimaced at the caloric death bombs he had to witness being consumed at the DPD.

As their drive continued Connor caught a glimpse of Cyberlife Tower on Belle Isle. Despite the revolution- and subsequent freedom of all androids- the tower still stood tall and imposing. 

Cyberlife quickly changed their tune when they were confronted with a mass of lawsuits and angry deviants. Quickly deciding to pledge their support publicly to Jericho, they offered to provide the organization some formal structure. 

Connor thought back to the cold, lifeless ship hull they had been squatting in. How close he had been to fulfilling his objectives in the past of eliminating Markus- thinking he was nothing more than a faulty conglomerate of codes and machinery.

He still remembered seeing the other RK200 model on live television. Declaring their rights to the world, demanding that they be recognized and heard. The same thought took root and plagued his very processors. If Markus could deviate, he could too. 

Glancing at Hank, one of his few grounding forces during those times. Regardless of the circumstances Connor knew he would never give up on him. He called out Connor at every turn, pushing to find out why he spared the two androids at Eden, so _who was he really?_

Connor still shuddered thinking back to how he was lured there by Cyberlife, who used Hank as collateral. The other RK model was a perfect replica with his exact memories, mannerisms and even personality.

Through it all though Hank was able to glean the truth, dive deep into their connection and see Connor, for who he was and what he was able to become. He continued to stare out the window as the sun was slowly rising through the clouds in the sky.

Pulling up to the DPD, Hank carried his half eaten sandwich inside, not waiting for Connor to follow. Connor sighed, already knowing it was going to be a long day.

Hank gave a half wave to everyone in the bullpen, not wanting to engage in small talk so early in the morning. Connor quickly sent a greeting to the receptionist, the newly deviated android Amelia- who was very enthusiastic about her job. He quickly slipped off his coat, leaving it as his desk.

Connor excused himself to the breakroom, wanting to offer Hank a decaf coffee as a small peace offering for the sandwich. He decided to pluck a fresh donut from the box laid on the counter as the coffee brewed, placing it on a napkin. Quickly grabbing Hank’s cup, he waited for the pot to finish- until he heard someone behind him.

“You going to make me one too tin-can?” Gavin jeered, quickly trying to tame his windswept hair. 

“You have operational appendages last time I checked, Detective.” Not outright saying no, but if Gavin wanted something he’d have to earn it

“You’re breaking my heart Con, truly.” Gavin was always dramatic and spared no theatrics by clutching his chest as if in severe pain. Quickly plucking an obnoxious mug that read “The only pussy I accept” with a picture of a cartoon cat from the lower cabinets, his chest slightly brushed against Connor.

His relationship with Gavin Reed was still unknown to Connor. Connor still thought about before the revolution, how the man treated him like absolute garbage, as if he was not worthy to share the same space as him.

He still constantly replayed the scene in the interrogation room, of Gavin not hesitating to pull a gun on him as the HK400 cowered behind Connor.

Connor later learned from the Detective himself after a mumbled half apology that this wasn’t a simple case of android hate. Intrigued Connor pushed a bit more and marveled at what he uncovered. 

A man who contradicted every single pre-construction he could calculate. One who was terrified of losing his job, but would run himself ragged after doing everything to make Detective. 

Gavin, who looked up to Hank like he held the stars themselves in the sky, only to have any semblance of friendship shattered and thrown across a cliff once Hank himself went over the edge. A man who took the time to talk to children from their cases, making sure that they were not just left to the system. Even if it took several aggressive follow-ups to child protective services in Detroit.

Connor quickly slipped his hand in his pocket, slowly fingering a custom made coin that was placed on his desk with a simple place card with one sentence. ‘Welcome to the force.’

When confronted, Gavin only shrugged his shoulders as if nothing happened and made his way to the breakroom for another coffee.

Looking at the man now, Connor made sure to make note of every small detail that seemed insignificant before but had him enraptured. The crisscross of scarring panting the man’s face, his grey eyes which perked up right before he shot a double patented wink at Connor while stirring his coffee. 

Connor also recounted some of his own past to Gavin in a sign of good faith, as their relationship thawed. How he had a crippling need to accomplish his objectives no matter what, doubts needling him even now due to Amanda. Gavin said that ‘pixelated bitch’ could choke, Connor didn’t have to prove shit to anybody.

Officer Chen abruptly snapped him from his thoughts, plucking Gavin’s carefully selected donut from the counter yelling out “Sike Bitch!” before running away.

“GET BACK HERE CHEN!” Gavin yelled, about sprint off in the other officer's direction before Connor grabbed him by the shoulder. 

Connor was still getting accustomed to touch in a post deviant world. Something that was once only meant to destroy opened up a whole new means of expression. His first taste being the warmth and pleasant buzz he felt when Hank embraced him in front of Chicken Feed.

His tactile sensors lit up at the gentle pressure and feedback he received in these moments. He wasted no time in cherishing the hugs he had with Hank in those rare moments. 

Other officers at the DPD were quick to bring him into the fold, with the occasional pat on the back. The only one who seemed to break the mould was Officer Chen, who didn’t hesitate to grab him in a side hug when the occasion called for it. 

Connor was hesitant to initiate any form of contact with Gavin, the man seemed to bristle coming within two feet of anyone except Officer Chen and Hank. However, when Connor braved his chance to slowly grab and squeeze the detective’s shoulder after a hard case, he was surprised by the results.

Gavin paused, before sending him a small quirk of his lips. Connor could feel the flesh thrumming under his hand, slowly giving a moulding to his affections. After that casual touches became the norm with Gavin.

Connor could replay the haptic feedback his sensors received from the contact, even for the briefest moments of time. Even now he slowly rolled the muscles in the detective’s shoulder getting him to calm down.

The fight slowly left Gavin as he looked to Connor who presented him with the donut that was meant for Hank. They shared a soft look, everything that needed to be said passed between them in those moments. 

Connor quickly finished up Hank’s coffee before it got cold and made sure to pick up a few donuts from that bakery he liked on the way home. 

Getting to his desk he noticed how Hank’s lips quirked up slightly as Connor placed the coffee in front of him. 

Sitting down he opened up his terminal to review the cases for the day, he frowned a bit noticing there were still quite a few hate crimes related to androids. It had been more than a year since the revolution, but anti-android sentiments still came out in full force.

The DPD had to go through creative avenues to access resources that Jericho did not have the time or infrastructure to develop.

Previously, a case required them to visit Elijah Kamski yet again, with the man reclaiming his position at Cyberlife he seemed to be one of the few people who had access to the restricted files they needed for some android models. Special identifiers or markers within the code that would be almost untraceable unless you knew what to look for.

To say Connor was apprehensive would be an understatement, still remembering his previous encounter with the man.

_I just saw that girl's eyes...and I couldn't, that's all…_

_Maybe you did the right thing._

Hank at the time was away for a task force meeting at another precinct outside of Central who had a budding red ice problem. 

Thankfully, without hesitation, Gavin offered to accompany him to the elusive billionaire’s house. On the car ride there, Connor seemed restless, fidgeting with his coin and finding no relief whatsoever. 

Eventually Gavin called him out on it, causing Connor to tell him what actually happened last time during the infamous ‘Kamski Test.’ Connor steeled himself for a second when he saw Gavin’s hands tightly gripping the wheel letting growling a ‘well not today’. 

Connor will always quirk a smile at the memory of Gavin waiting for them to stand face to face with Kamski and, with no hesitation, fracturing the man's nose before they could talk.

“How did you like my test, fuckface!” Gavin shouted at the groaning man as Connor slowly pulled him back before Chloe intervened. 

Connor realized Gavin would not hesitate to smear Mr. Kamski for mistreating him in the past. 

“That asshole had it coming since college when he jerked his dick off to Asimov, this way he’ll learn.” Gavin growled as Connor bandaged his knuckles in the DPD washroom, it dawned on him that the two share a familial connection. However, Connor decided to leave it for now since it seemed to be a point of contention for Gavin. 

Snapping out of his thoughts Connor made a note to contact Mr. Kamski with Gavin if any of the cases required his resources. Hopefully, next time he wouldn’t do anything rash but, if anything does happen Connor is assured it will be well deserved.

It was surprising that the day passed by fairly quickly as Connor spent time analyzing the cases, most of them were easy to close with warrants being processed while others required more deliberation to determine if they were connected. It was one of the things Connor liked about his job, the fractured pieces of a crime merging to form one clear and concise picture. 

During his lunch break he decided to head off to the bakery a bit early, since Hank would greatly benefit from a midday pick me up.

Deciding to walk since it was pretty close to the precinct, Gavin joined him, needing to grab something to eat. Connor enjoyed the companionable silence both of them shared, the door of the bakery chimed as he entered.

Taking into view the vast array of sweets offered, Connor eyed a case of speciality donuts. The shop obviously took pride in their craft, creating customized flavours that rotated weekly. 

Connor grinned as he saw Gavin salivating from being in the mere proximity of the baked goods. 

“Do you need a mop, Detective?” He asked after asking the cashier for a couple that she would recommend. 

“What do you expect, you drag me here and I’m only so strong Con,” Gavin grumbled, trying to pretend like he wasn’t hungrily eyeing the case. “Let's just get a move on, I’m already starving as is.”

Connor decides to take pity on the man, ordering a sandwich alongside the couple of donuts for Hank. 

“Shit, I owe you my soul Connor.” Gavin exclaimed as Connor handed over his lunch, their hands brushing and pausing for quite some time. Connor could already feel his background processes trying to parse out the contact, all of which he promptly drowned out for this moment. 

“Really, thanks,” Gavin softly said as Connor shot him a small smile. They both walked back to the precinct, deciding to take a more scenic route through the park. Connor spotted a man aggressively feeding the pigeons and thought sadly back to Rupert.

The WB200 was able to reach Jericho after their chase on the rooftop. Silently Connor thanked him to this day for pushing him into choosing to save Hank, some things he learned superseded every mission objective he held.

Connor felt a strange loneliness as him and Gavin walked side by side in the park, thinking back to his brief interactions with Markus and the rest of the androids of Jericho. Although they were on friendly terms, Markus could do little to dissuade his supporters from actively disliking Connor. The only ones who seemed to have a grudging respect for him are the ones who he’d rescued and sent off to Markus.

He tried these days to keep his visits to Jericho to a minimum, the androids seemed less than willing to trust him given his past affiliations. 

Once he shared these concerns with none other than Gavin, he laughed dryly. “Those tin-cans should be grateful for what you did Con. You all had choices and despite everything you made good ones. They can fuck off if they think otherwise.”

Connor knew he fought for Markus and his people, and would do it again. Those few precious seconds he spent distracting Cyberlife were enough for everyone to escape Jericho giving them a chance to regroup and continue to fight.

Connor knew that Gavin was speaking a bit from personal experience, becoming the local pariah of the DPD in recent years. Labelled as a bully and hot headed by most, all of whom were unwilling to dive beneath the worn exterior to strike gold underneath. 

Strolling through the park Connor took his time slowly cataloging all the greenery. It was midday but the breeze was relaxing when coupled with the sun. He stared into the distance, noting several kids in the playground across from them.

He wondered how Kara and Alice were doing, last he saw of them, they evaded him on the highway. Thinking back, he was grateful for that small mercy, even though his objective failed it was instrumental in kick starting his deviation.

“So are we still on for this weekend?” Gavin asked, as Connor turned his attention to him.

“Of course, someone needs to show you exactly what you're missing out on, Gavin. Your blatant ignorance regarding marine life is quite disappointing,” Connor joked pointing to his obnoxious tie as Gavin scrunched his face. Pity, that his sense of style was lost on the detective. 

Gavin, alongside Hank, were actually the few people who suggested Connor try diverting his attention to happier mediums. From this small nudge his interest in aquatic wildlife blossomed, all influenced by the iridescent Dwarf Goby he saved early on in his activation.

Much to the dismay of both humans, Connor dragged them frequently to the Belle Isle Aquarium, spending hours spouting facts about every species in sight.

However, he seemed to drag Gavin on these outings more and more. Hank bowed out after the first few trips, “I’m just not a fish guy Con, unless they're deep fried and covered in some questionable sauce.” Connor definitely didn’t throw out all of the sauces available in Hank’s house after hearing that.

Gavin, despite being reluctant at first, quickly warmed up to the idea. Connor caught him once just staring at him, which caused his monologue to freeze. 

“Hey, Con why’d you stop?” Gavin asked, perplexed by the abrupt pause.

“I thought you were getting bored,” he said, unsure if it was fair of him to force Gavin into these situations.

“Con, I can assure you I’m the farthest thing from bored. It just feels good to see you genuinely happy for once.” Gavin said, shooting him a soft smile. 

“Then where were we …” Connor gently started acting as if nothing happened. It was one of the few times someone other than Hank acknowledged his feelings- _it felt good_. Neither of them questioned when their hands loosely linked as Connor continued his tour.

Heading back to the DPD, Connor parted ways with Gavin as he delivered the sweet treats to Hank. The other man was ecstatic to say the least. “Fuck Con, you're going to make me go out and buy the whole bakery.”

“Hank, that is both unreasonable from both a health and a financial perspective.”

“Yeah, yeah just wait till you guys can taste. You’ll come crawling back to me, watch.” The man said with a wink, slowly savouring a speciality cinnamon crueler from the bag.

Connor rolled his eyes, turning back to his workstation to focus. It was late in the evening before Connor decided to head out. Hank had already gone home, saying he needed his bed as soon as possible. 

There were very few people left at the DPD during these hours. Closing his terminal, he grabbed his coat, saying goodbyes to Officer Chen and Amelia before heading out.

Waiting for his autocab, he spied Gavin leaning against the wall of the DPD. Connor slowly approached the man who seemed to be exhausted for the day, and just needed a quiet moment to himself.

“Need a ride home Detective?” He asked, knowing Gavin must be more than exhausted at the long day he’s had.

“Ahh thanks Con, I honestly just want to pass out when I get home.” He chuckled as the cab pulled up to the curb. They both hopped inside as Connor confirmed the new destination, paying and tipping for Gavin’s ride.

As the cab slowly pulled away, Connor noted that Gavin was unusually quiet, spying that the other man had fallen asleep. He looked so peaceful when he slept, something Connor and the rest of the DPD rarely were privy to.

Connor looked at the olive skin that glowed from the lights of the city, the faint traces of stubble that added to the rugged exterior of the detective. There was a calm wash of serenity that seemed to surround them in this moment, Connor never wanted it to end. 

Connor was soon alerted to the fact that they arrived at their destination. He slowly grabbed Gavin’s shoulder to gently wake him. 

Gavin looked at him wiping the sleep from his eyes, as he tried to get his bearings. “Home already?”

“You seemed tired, so I didn’t want to disturb you.” 

“No I’m happy you did, God knows I would’ve been passed out for hours otherwise. Thanks again for helping me get home,” he stated softly.

“You mean a lot to me Gavin, it's the least I could do,” Connor whispered as if the fragility of this moment would shattered if he vocalized his thoughts to the world.

“Yeah?” Gavin said leaning forward a bit, meeting Connor’s eyes in a show on unadulterated emotion.

Connor didn’t waste his time in closing the distance, finally meeting Gavin and melting into his warmth. The kiss lit up every sensor in Connor, sending his processors into overdrive. Slowly parting, Connor stared at the man, gently stroking his cheek as he let out his own ‘yes.’ 

In that moment he felt another piece of the puzzle click into place, as if something he'd deeply wanted has become especially apparent. 

From the moment of his creation Connor thought his life was a predetermined slate, where all his outcomes were determined by Cyberlife. However, they didn’t expect him to feel, to experience the need to shape and mould himself fully. 

He thought back to the people in his life, how every single one reflected inside him. Presenting him with choices and ideas to forge a piece of him to expose and explore the world. Trying to find himself and who he was in this world.

Connor was thankful for his past in some way, the influence of his negative memories helped guide him to where he was today. He remembered the parting thanks Markus shared with him after the revolution, how something so inconsequential could hold so much weight. 

Gavin was no exception, Connor noted, melding into a balance of antagonism and love. Many humans find the pursuit of their existence a large undertaking, but as Connor met Gavin’s lips, internally whispering his own thanks, he thought of how he never wanted this to end.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to drop any feedback below, this is definitely not my last story in the fandom.
> 
> You can find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sunkiller44) and [Tumblr](https://sunkiller44.tumblr.com/)  
> Deviark can be on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Devi_arkus)
> 
> We're both in the [New Era Discord](https://discord.gg/acv7ux4) so feel free to drop by anytime!


End file.
